MPD RESPONDS TO POSSIBLE THREAT AT MMS
Yesterday after students were dismissed, the Murray Police Department responded to Murray Middle School in reference to a possible threat towards the school. Multiple officers responded to the scene, and it was determined that the school was safe and no threat existed at the school. There is an ongoing investigation into this matter. If you have any information contact the Murray Police Department or if you would like to leave an anonymous tip, you can contact Murray Calloway County Crime Stoppers at 270-753-9500.
TWO ST. LOUIS RESIDENTS FACING BURGLARY CHARGES
At approximately 7:30 yesterday morning, Calloway County Sheriff’s Department Deputies responded to the area of Highway 80 near Todd Road for a report of a burglary in progress at a residence. Law enforcement located a female walking in the area and also found a nearby business had been burglarized. Law enforcement also located a vehicle stuck in a field that was determined to have been reported stolen. 39-year old Nicole Siebert of Saint Louis was arrested and charged with Receiving Stolen Property, Burglary, Criminal Mischief, Possession of Burglar’s Tools, Trafficking in a Controlled Substance, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. At approximately 12:30, Calloway County Dispatch received a 911 call, stating a man matching the description of the male suspect had been seen running from the woods near Highway 80 East and Purdom Road and getting into a silver passenger car. Deputies located the vehicle at the intersection of Highway 80 and Highway 641. 28-year-old Michael Pirtle of St. Louis was a passenger in the vehicle. He was arrested and charged with Burglary, Attempted Burglary, Criminal Mischief, Possession of Burglar’s Tools, Trafficking in Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Tampering with Physical Evidence, Possession of a Handgun by a Convicted Felon, and Receiving Stolen Property. The couple may also be charged with burglaries of several storage units in Graves County.
MSU AND KLC TO PROVIDE TRAINING SERVICES TO CITY OFFICIALS
Murray State University and the Kentucky League of Cities are teaming up to provide Murray State’s Center for Economic and Entrepreneurial Development, training and informational services to elected city officials. Additionally, KLC and the center will work together to identify and seek solutions to the challenges and issues facing elected city officials in the areas of community and economic development. This partnership will capitalize on Murray State’s regional footprint and will aim to develop opportunities across the Commonwealth. Murray State and the Kentucky League of Cities will launch the new initiative at the KLC ACE Conference to be held beginning June 15 in Lexington.
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FALLS
Unemployment rates rose in 69 Kentucky counties between February 2020 and February 2021, fell in 43, and stayed the same in eight counties, according to the Kentucky Center for Statistics. Oldham and Todd counties recorded the lowest jobless rates in the Commonwealth at 3.5%. Magoffin County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate at 15.2%, while Livingston County has the ninth highest at 8.2%. The Purchase Area jobless rate was 5.1%, down from 5.5% the month before. Carlisle County had the lowest rate in the Purchase Area at 4.3% while Ballard County had the highest at 5.8%. Calloway County’s February jobless rate was 5.2%.
CCHD REPORTS 1 NEW COVID CASE
The Calloway County Health Department reported 1 new case of COVID-19 yesterday, bringing the total number of cases in the county to 3,411 during the pandemic. Of that total, 3,353 cases have recovered, 9 are isolated at home, none are hospitalized, and there have been 49 deaths reported. Calloway County’s COVID-19 Incidence Rate per 100,000 Thursday was 2.6%, which was the same as Wednesday’s rate. Carlisle County and Hickman County continue to have COVID-19 incidence rates of 0. There are only six red zone counties for COVID-19 cases in the state. Murray State University has reported 1 new student case this week.
STATE POSITIVITY RATE STAYS UNDER 3%
At Wednesday’s COVID-19 update for Kentucky, 972 new cases and 13 new deaths were reported, raising the total to 6,108 Kentuckians who are listed as covid deaths. As of Wednesday, there have been over 4.96 million coronavirus tests performed in Kentucky with a positivity rate of 2.99%, which is higher than last Wednesday’s rate of 2.92%. There are 411 Kentuckians hospitalized which is 8 less than last Wednesday, including 92 in ICU, which is 14 less than one week ago. At least 49,767 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus.
NOMINEE LIST RELEASED FOR GRAVES CIRCUIT JUDGE VACANCY
The Judicial Nominating Commission yesterday announced nominees to fill the vacant judgeship for Graves County Circuit Court. Graves makes up the 52nd Judicial Circuit. The three nominees for the judgeship are attorneys Kevin Bishop, Royce Buck, and Carlos Moran, all of Mayfield. Bishop has had his own law practice in Mayfield for more than 25 years and previously served as an assistant public advocate with the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy. Buck has had his own law practice in Mayfield for 18 years and served as a District Court judge for Graves County from 1986-2002. Moran also has his own law practice in Mayfield. The judicial seat became vacant when Judge Timothy Stark resigned on January 1.
IN AND AROUND KENTUCKY
WASHINGTON DC—Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is blasting President Biden’s proposed two-trillion-dollar infrastructure plan. The Kentucky Republican says the proposal will likely get no support from the GOP because of the “big whopping tax increase.” He says Republicans want to invest in American infrastructure, but added “we ought to build that which we can afford.” Biden announced his plan in Pittsburgh Wednesday. It included money for roads, bridges, broadband access, electric cars, and other infrastructure.
FRANKFORT—A new law is giving school districts the option to allow students to repeat the school year. Governor Andy Beshear signed the bill last week that gives school districts the choice to offer students a supplemental school year. Some districts are already accepting applications from parents interested in the program. Districts have until June 1st to decide if they will offer the supplemental year.
MUHLENBERG COUNTY—Kentucky State Police and the FBI are investigating after a report of a possible bomb in Muhlenberg County. A call came in Wednesday afternoon about a possible bomb on top of a gas line in the one-thousand-block of Bevier Road in Cleaton. Officials are not providing details because of the open investigation.
LEXINGTON—A Lexington teen is dead following a snowboarding accident in Utah. Henry Clay High School baseball coach Jordan Terrance says senior Nathan Burnett was killed Tuesday afternoon in an accident that happened while he was on spring break. Fayette County Public Schools officials say they are offering grief counseling for students and staff at the school.
OWENSBORO—The identity of a woman whose body was found in the Ohio River in Owensboro is being released. Officials say the body of 31-year-old Ashley Mitchell was recovered Tuesday evening behind Fern Terra. The LaGrange Police Department is handling the investigation into Mitchell’s death.
LOUISVILLE—An old name will bring new leadership to the Kentucky State Fair Board. Dr. Mark Lynn was unanimously voted in during a special meeting yesterday. Dr. Lynn previously held the same role. The vote was made just days after the state passed a bill stripping Governor Andy Beshear from picking the chair.
PARIS—The arrival of spring has more people seeking outdoor entertainment. The Bourbon Drive-in in Paris, Kentucky will open for the season this weekend. The drive-in saw a surge in new customers last year due to the coronavirus outbreak. This weekend will be the start of the theater’s 65th season.
TENNESSEE—There are over 17-hundred new coronavirus cases in Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Health reported one-thousand-772 new COVID-19 cases yesterday, bringing the total since the outbreak began to over 813-thousand-600. Nearly a dozen additional COVID-19-related deaths were reported, with the total number of coronavirus-attributed deaths statewide standing at over eleven-thousand-900. There are about 840 COVID-19 patients hospitalized statewide.
TENNESSEE—Over one-million Tennesseans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Tennessee Department of Health commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey said yesterday the milestone is cause for celebration. Dr. Piercey said additional people will be vaccinated as vaccines become more widely available. TDH also says 22 percent of all Tennesseans have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.
TENNESSEE—A man on the TBI’s Most Wanted list is dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot. Michael Lynn Tucker apparently killed himself yesterday at a Nashville hotel while surrounded by law enforcement. The 48-year-old was wanted for killing three people and wounding two others in Memphis on March 26th before being tracked to the hotel by the U.S. Marshals Service. Tucker was also a convicted murderer who served years in prison.
TENNESSEE—An East Tennessee police chief is out of a job. Oliver Springs Mayor Omer Cox says Chief of Police Kenneth Morgan’s contract has been terminated for “numerous” violations, including a sexual relationship with a subordinate. A termination letter detailing the alleged violations dated March 25th said Chief Morgan had falsified records to give the subordinate employee additional pay.
ILLINOIS—Illinois House Republican leaders are proposing a measure that would ban workplaces from requiring employees to provide proof that they’ve been vaccinated for COVID-19. The legislation would make it illegal for employers to require employees to prove they’ve received a vaccine approved for emergency use authorization by the FDA, meaning the COVID-19 vaccine. The bill was introduced last month by state Representative Joe Sosnowski, who says a blanket policy of requiring proof of emergency use vaccinations is concerning. Vaccines that have full FDA approval are not included in the bill.
